1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an optical connector used in the field of optical communication for an OA equipment, an FA equipment, an on-vehicle equipment and so on.
2. Background Art
In an optical connector of the type in which an optical element for effecting the photoelectric conversion is received in a connector housing, it is necessary to provide countermeasures for reducing the influence of electromagnetic noises, applied from the exterior to the interior optical element, and the influence of electromagnetic noises applied from the interior optical element to the exterior. Particularly in those optical connectors used in an automobile or the like which provides an electromagnetically poor environment, there has been a great demand for such electromagnetic-noise countermeasures.
In one conventional optical connector provided with electromagnetic-noise countermeasures, the outer periphery of a connector housing is covered with a metal shield cover.
However, for example, when the above conventional optical connector was subjected to very intense electromagnetic noises, the shielding effect, obtained only with the metal shield cover, was inadequate, and there was a fear that a malfunction of an optical element or the like was encountered.
And besides, the optical element was surrounded by a connector housing made of a resin, and therefore heat, generated by the optical element, could not be efficiently radiated to the exterior, and there was a fear that a shortened lifetime, breakage and so on of the optical element were encountered. Particularly when the optical connector is used in an environment in which the temperature of the atmosphere is high, such problems become conspicuous.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an optical connector which is excellent both in electromagnetic noise-shielding properties and in heat-radiating properties.
The above problems have been solved by an optical connector of the invention comprising a metal shield casing for receiving an element body portion of an optical element; a connector housing having a casing receiving recess formed therein, the metal shield casing being received and held in the casing receiving recess in such a manner that at least part of the metal shield casing is exposed; and a metal shield cover which covers the outside of the connector housing in such a manner that the metal shield cover is held in contact with that portion of the metal shield casing exposed to the exterior of the connector housing.
There may be adopted a construction in which the whole of a rear surface of the metal shield casing is exposed to the exterior through a rear side of the connector housing, and the metal shield cover covers the connector housing in such a manner that the metal shield cover is held in surface-to-surface contact with the whole of the rear surface of the metal shield casing.
There may be adopted a construction in which the optical connector is adapted to be mounted on and fixed to a mounting board, and the metal shield cover covers the connector housing except that portion thereof for connection to a mating optical connector and that portion thereof for contact with the mounting board when the optical connector is fixedly mounted on the mounting board.
There may be adopted a construction in which the optical connector is adapted to be mounted on and fixed to a mounting board, and a soldering portion, adapted to be connected to a grounding wiring pattern formed on the mounting board, or a screw-fastening fixing portion, adapted to be fastened by a screw to the mounting board in contacted relation to the grounding wiring pattern formed on the mounting board, is formed on at least one of the metal shield cover and the metal shield casing.
Another aspect of this invention is an optical connector, which comprises: a connector housing, having a casing receiving recess formed therein; and a shield member including a metal shield casing portion for receiving an element body portion of an optical element therein, and a metal shield cover portion covering the connector housing, the metal shield casing portion being received and held in the casing receiving recess, and the metal shield casing portion being formed integrally with the metal shield cover portion.
According to another aspect of this invention, there may be adopted a construction in which the casing receiving recess is open to a rear side of the connector housing; and the metal shield cover portion includes an upper wall, covering an upper surface of the connector housing, a pair of opposite side walls, respectively covering opposite side surfaces of the connector housing, and a rear wall covering the rear opening in the connector housing; and the metal shield casing portion is formed in a projected manner on an inner surface of the rear wall in such a manner that the metal shield casing portion is spaced from the upper wall and the opposite side walls to form a gap therebetween into which a peripheral wall portion of the casing receiving recess can be fitted; and the metal shield casing portion is inserted into the casing receiving recess through the rear opening in the connector housing, and is held in the recess.
According to another aspect of this invention, there may be adopted a construction in which a soldering portion, adapted to be connected to a grounding wiring pattern formed on a mounting board, or a screw-fastening fixing portion, adapted to be fastened by a screw to the mounting board in contacted relation to the grounding wiring pattern formed on the mounting board, is formed on at least one of the metal shield cover portion and the metal shield casing portion.